New York State Blues Fest

The annual three-day musical festival that celebrates blues music as one of the largest free events in the Northeast.

New York State Blues Fest

The New York State Blues Festival is one of the largest music events in the Northeast. In 2023, the three-day annual festival is returning to provide music lovers with a fun and exciting blues experience. From June 15-17, mark your calendars for an unforgettable experience.

The festival invites blues artists to perform their music for crowds of fans at Chevy Court in the NYS Fairgrounds. This event is a must-see attraction for anyone who enjoys music and wants a fun weekend getaway. Aside from the festival itself, the event organizers prioritize using blues music as a form of community outreach with programs like Blues in the Schools and Blues Ignition.

Attending the Blues Festival

One of the largest free music festivals in the Northeast, this festival is open to the public and people of all ages. The event organizers seek to cultivate a fun experience for all visitors and festival-goers are allowed to come and go as they please.

Performance Lineup

Thursday, June 15

• 5:30pm: Fillmore Blues Band

• 6:45pm: DAMDOG Duo

• 7:15pm: Brandon Santini

• 9:00pm: Blood Brothers ft. Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia

  Friday, June 16

  • 4:00pm: The Neil Minet Band

  • 5:00pm: Terry Mulhauser & Friends

  • 5:50pm: Midnite Mike

  • 6:15pm: Los Blancos

  • 7:45pm: Annika Chambers & Paul DesLauriers

  • 9:30pm: Southern Avenue

  Saturday, June 17

  • 1:00pm: Blues Ignition

  • 1:45pm: Paul LeClair

  • 2:10pm: Nate Gross Band

  • 3:30pm: Brownskin Band

  • 4:25pm, 5:45pm: Raewald Howland-Bolton

  • 4:50pm: Earl Slick & The Ripcords

  • 6:10pm: Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind

  • 7:45pm: Samantha Fish ft. Jesse Dayton

  • 9:30pm: Buddy Guy

Participating in the Blues Festival

There is much more than music available at the festival for attendees to enjoy. Aside from walking around Clinton Square and listening to the variety of bands performing, there are multiple food and drink vendors to check out. Rules for the festival include no pets, no skateboarding, no glass containers, no coolers and no unauthorized audio or video recordings. All of the rules are set to ensure the safety of all festival goers to maintain a safe and enjoyable environment.

Take Amtrak to New York State Blues Fest

Attend the Blues Festival via Amtrak to the Syracuse Station—Don’t forget to use the Amtrak See New York and Save 15% discount! The station is 2.4 miles away from Clinton Square, making it an easy and convenient option to get to the event.

Get picked up from the Syracuse Station and taken to your reserved NYTRAIN Enterprise Rent-a-Car. Click here to reserve your car or call the Syracuse office today at 315-423-0022.